Former Tipperary star Brendan Cummins saves his team's bacon with late equaliser

Ballybacon/Grange 0-15   Drom/Inch 0-15

A pointed free nearly five minutes into added time from goalkeeper Brendan Cummins saved Ballybacon/Grange’s intermediate status for one more game at least, as they drew 0-15 each with Drom/Inch in the FBD Insurance County Intermediate Hurling Championship Relegation final at Bansha.

Cummins had pointed two earlier frees from deep inside his own half, so this last one from halfway was well within his range, but still demanded his full concentration as the south side’s status depended on it.

In an evenly matched contest, with the sides level on eight occasions before the dramatic closing stages, it was the Drom/Inch's second string who looked to have secured their place in the intermediate grade when an Aidan O’Meara free in the 61st minute pushed them one ahead.

And despite being down to fourteen players, following the dismissal of substitute and team captain Oliver Barry on a straight red card two minutes before the end of normal time, they looked like they were doing enough to hang on.

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Jack Ryan already had two superb points to his credit but was off target with what would have been the insurance score.  Then deep into the fifth minute of added time, an old-fashioned shemozzle in midfield saw both sides failing to win possession, before referee Cian Ryan awarded a free to Ballybacon that drew the wrath of Drom players and officials. 

Cummins’ free levelled the score for the ninth time, and with extra time not played the sides must meet again to decide who remains at intermediate and who drops to junior grade.

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The game lacked nothing in excitement and intensity but wayward shooting on both sides meant that many scores were left behind. Those who had their radar in were Brian Dillon for Ballybacon, with four excellent points, and Aidan O’Meara and Jack Ryan for the mid side, with three and two points from play respectively.

Hard-working defences also curbed the scoring opportunities, with Sean Nagle, John Condon and Luke O’Brien in top form for the south men, while Darragh Kennedy, Diarmuid Brennan and Jack Ryan were outstanding for Drom.

The sides were level at 0-4 each by the 15th minute. Ballybacon were two points up inside five minutes, through James O’Mahoney and then Jamie Ryan, who showed exceptional stickwork to beat his marker after taking a pass from Luke O’Brien.

Drom were slow to settle but once Liam Ryan opened their account in the seventh minute, they went on to score another three without reply - two frees from Diarmuid Brennan, the second a huge effort, and Aidan O’Meara from play for a 0-4 to 0-2 lead. Ballybacon hit back to draw level, with Brian Dillon finishing off great work from Jack O’Neill, and then Shane Ryan turning over possession with an intercept to put Dillon through again.

The sides were deadlocked again at 0-5, 0-6 and 0-7 each. Oisín Ryan from a free had edged Ballybacon back in front with a great response from Aidan O’Meara for Drom. Brendan Cummins pointed his first free from distance with Joey Maher hitting back for Drom. Jamie Ryan put the mid side ahead, with another Oisín Ryan from a free tying it up again four minutes from half-time.

Ballybacon were back in front when John English scored, and they were two ahead in added time when Billy Hewitt provided an assist for Brian Dillon. It was back to a one-point game at the interval when O’Meara from a free made it 0-9 to 0-8.

Ballybacon were the better side in the third quarter, hitting three points in a row without reply. Brian Dillon scored a superb point from a tight angle from a Shane Ryan pass, Brendan Cummins pointed a free, and then Oisín Ryan made 0-12 to 0-8 after 43 minutes.

Drom had their first point of the half in the 44th minute through Jack Ryan, and they followed up with another four on the bounce in six minutes to go ahead 0-13 to 0-12. They were now the dominant team with points from Jamie Shanahan and two from O’Meara, one a free and the second from play from a tight angle, and then a superb score from Diarmuid Brennan.

Ballybacon needed a response, as the concession of five points without reply opened the trap door to junior hurling a little wider for a proud hurling club. And they got it with two Oisín Ryan pointed frees that restored their lead, 0-14 to 0-13, with six minutes of normal time remaining.

As the tension mounted, both sides were guilty of rushed shooting, before a Jack Ryan intercept saw him race clear and point the equaliser again.

Oisín Ryan missed the chance to restore Ballybacon’s lead when he was off-target from a free following an incident that saw Drom substitute Oliver Barry dismissed, and it looked like they were made to pay dearly when at the other end Aidan O’Meara from a free edged Drom in front with time running out.

The last action saw the Ballybacon free that Drom strongly protested against, and Brendan Cummins held his nerve to make it another day out for both sides.

Ballybacon/Grange: Brendan Cummins 0-3f; Sean Nagle, Eoin Walsh, Michael O’Sullivan, John Condon, Michael Barlow, Luke O’Brien, John English 0-1; Jack O’Neill, James O’Mahoney 0-1; Gerry Cronin, Shane Ryan 0-1; Billy Hewitt, Brian Dillon 0-4; Oisín Ryan 0-5, 4f. Subs: Aaron Lonergan for Brian Dillon, Sean Cunningham for James O’Mahoney.

Drom/Inch: Sean Dempsey, Conor O’Meara, Michael Purcell, Jack Ryan 0-2; Jim Bob Kennedy, Darragh Kennedy, Diarmuid Brennan 0-3, 2f; Colm Kinane, Jamie Shanahan 0-1; Enda Walsh, Joey Maher 0-1; Jamie Ryan 0-1; Aidan O’Meara 0-6, 3f; Liam Ryan 0-1; Brian Moore. Subs: Paul Kennedy for Enda Walsh, Oliver Barry for Brian Moore, Joe Lupton for Liam Ryan.

Referee: Cian Ryan (Eire Óg Annacarty).